


I'm Wonder Struck

by TrashcanKitty



Series: Ever After AU [2]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Sword Fighting, familiarity between 'staff' and royals, little bit of world building, mostly just friends being friends and talking, some family moments, takes place just a little bit between chapter 2 and chapter 3 of the main story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28806729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashcanKitty/pseuds/TrashcanKitty
Summary: Valkyrie had intended for Bloom's party to be just another marked affair in which she'd be incredibly bored and never mention again...Intentions, however, seldom become reality.As the Dragons would have it, Valkyrie met a woman at Bloom's party, one that is currently making it hard to concentrate on her sword training. (And like hell she's going to let Riven, of all people, beat her at her own game.)
Relationships: hints of Flora/oc, hints of Helia/Oc, hints of Lucy/Mirta, hints of Oc/Oc, hints of Riven/Musa, mentioned Griffin/Valtor
Series: Ever After AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109192
Kudos: 3





	I'm Wonder Struck

**I’m Wonder Struck**

“Where’s your fire and brimstone, Valkyrie? I’m starting to worry you’ve gone soft.” Riven taunted, the clashing of their swords reverberating in her ears.

She glowered at him, digging in her boots to stand her ground. “If I were you, Sir Riven, I’d keep my mouth shut and remember whom I was dealing with.” Valkyrie dodged his next attack, turning her sword toward him, making him stumble over the exposed roots on the training grounds.

“I’m still not fearing for my life, _your highness_.” Riven snarked, a smirk coming to his lips.

Valkyrie could hear low groans and ‘oh shit’s coming from the stands where the others had been spectating their sparring match. She gave a smirk, feeling the flames igniting beneath her skin. “Good. I’d hate to chase you down.” She let the fire come over her blade, powering the obsidian steel.

Riven swore, trying to duck back as the flames and blade came for him, knocking him back on his ass. “I thought we said ‘no magic’!”

Valkyrie laughed, moving to offer him her hand. “That was before you started taunting me.” Riven took her hand, letting her help him up.

Footsteps approached, laughing and snickers getting louder. “You could have been deep-fried, Riven.” Kota smirked. “Disrespecting our future Empress like that.”

“Oh please, Valkyrie could stand to have her ego brought down a notch or two. Right, my Dragon?” Crystal teased, flashing her signature smile and emerald green eyes. “And who better to bring her down to Obsidian than Riven?”

“Either way, it’ll make for quite a painting. Thank you for indulging my sketching session.” Helia grinned, eagerly showing off the sketches he’d made of the battle.

Valkyrie looked the lines over, frowning at how her form had been overshot, her stance off. “Maybe I am losing my touch…” She turned her attention to her cousin, wrapped tight in Helia’s discarded green cloak. “What do you think, Morgan?”

“I think you should start moving your sparring matches inside.” She whined, leaning more in-between Crystal and Valkyrie, trying to absorb their warmth. “Things are starting to chill, and my ears are feeling froze.”

“That’s because you refuse to wear your muffs properly.” Lucy’s voice called from across the yard, her gaze turning to Valkyrie. “Your message was received, my Dragon. Though I’m asking for extra rest time considering I had to track her down to Andros.”

“Her?” Crystal’s voice lilted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “My, my what are you up to, Valkyrie?”

“Or rather, who’s skirt are you up?” Riven snickered. Valkyrie rolled her eyes, making herself glare at her ‘friends’. (Honestly, with friends like this… She’d be better off trying to bed Bloom without ending up with her head on a pike.)

She held herself upright, straight and tall as her mother and father had instructed her so often over the years, her shoulders squared and chest puffed. “I’d like you all to remind yourselves that I _can_ and _will_ have you exiled or executed for being so _familiar_ with me.”

Kota snorted. “You could, and you might… If it weren’t for the fact that you’d miss us all so terribly.”

“And we’re the only ones you know for fact you can trust.” Lucy chimed in. “And to answer your question, Riven, it’s that girl she was dancing with at Bloom’s party. You might have noticed her, if you weren’t so busy trying to talk that Melodian into _finding a room_.”

Riven flushed, a pout/frown coming to his face. “I was just going to see if we’d make a fine duet.”

Morgan snorted. “Right. That’s what we’re calling it now.” Her amber eyes turned toward Valkyrie. “And as fun as Riven’s conquests sound, I’d like to hear about more about that girl you were with. I know Bloom wasn’t thrilled about it, considering she’d made a point to speak with you after.”

Valkyrie shook her head, putting her blade back into its sheath. “I’m not saying a damn thing until I know more about her myself.” A faint smile came to her lips, her mind remembering the dance and the smell of lilies, the gentle hand and the soft voice. “I’d rather not get anyone’s hopes up. Least of all my own.”

“Right, because anyone will just turn down a future Empress.” Lucy quipped. “Happens all the time.”

Valkyrie gave her a look. “She’s from the Hannes Empire, Lucy. And a friend of Bloom’s. That complicates things.”

Morgan placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Val. I have a good feeling about this. The aura she had and the energy you’re radiating right now…” She waved her free hand in gesture. “It’s all a good sign.”

“And they’ve never been wrong before.” Riven grumbled, wincing when Kota hit him in the stomach. “I’m just saying… Feelings and signs get mixed up.” He wrapped his arms around himself. “Then again, what do I know? I don’t have magic.” He held a hand up to Helia. “And don’t argue that you don’t either, Helia. You and I both know you do, you’re just not good at it.”

Helia flushed, a frown coming to his face. Eyes crinkling just so. “I might as well not have it. Best I can do is pass notes with flying origami swans.”

“Which I’m sure will come in handy one day.” Lucy patted his shoulder, looking the group over. “Where’s Mirta? Isn’t she usually free by now?”

Valkyrie shook her head. “Lucinda and Mal are having her run errands for the infirmary today since they haven’t found time to leave. Her shift should be over soon enough though.” She turned to Riven and Kota, taking a deep breath. “Ready for another round?”

Both men shared a look, delving into the child’s game of ‘rock, paper, scissors’ to see who would face her this time. (Boys.)

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Griffin tsked, her hands carefully going over Valkyrie’s arms and shoulders, the younger woman hissing at the sting from the salve on her mother’s hands. “I will never understand what possesses you and your father to play with such things.”

“Mother, I’m not _playing_ with the sword. I’m merely learning to defend myself should my magic ever fail me.” Valkyrie reminded her. “As for why my father enjoys them, I can’t say for certain, though I’m sure it’s for similar reasons.”

Another hiss as a layer of aloe was added. “You’ve allowed your guardsmen to cut you into pieces.”

“I didn’t _allow_ them to do anything. They managed fair and square to pin me.” Valkyrie grumbled, her nails digging into the chair to keep herself steady. Her nails nearly _shifting_. “I should have been paying more attention.”

Griffin hummed, starting the careful motion of wrapping Valkyrie’s arms. “And what could have you so distracted, my girl?”

Valkyrie felt herself flush, the light green hue unmistakable. Griffin chuckled, knowing. “What’s her name?”

“Mother…” Valkyrie warned.

“What? I just want to know a name.”

“Yes. And with _just a name_ , you’ll run to the Mode’s and have either Mr. Electronio or Mrs. Magnethia do a deep search and I’ll have no fun in figuring those things out for _myself_.” Valkyrie turned to face her mother. “Or need I remind you of the disaster that was _my princess ball_ when I walked out with Mary and ended up watching her and her family leave for _Solaria_?”

_And honestly, she didn’t need her mother to find out that she’d already contacted Tecna to run a small-scale search on Flora. Just enough to discover the basics about her life. Which kingdom she was from, what her food preferences tended to be, if she had magic, and if she were available. Though the only thing of note about Flora was her recent inquiries into the Kingdom of Rot._

Griffin sighed, a bit of a pout on her lips. “In my defense, her family had put her up to courting you to get closer with your father. I was only trying to protect you both.”

“And I should have been allowed to find out for myself. It’d have saved a lot of heartbreak.” Valkyrie took her mother’s hands. “And, for what it’s worth… I feel like this one doesn’t need a background check done. I think she’s someone reliable and trustworthy. I’d just like to have the time to feel her out first. For myself.”

“Fine.” Griffin agreed, handing Valkyrie back her undershirt and coat. “But I will have to _insist_ on a dinner with her and her family before the two of you get too far in your… Romance.”

Valkyrie chuckled, wrapping her arms around her mother in a hug. “Yes, Mother. Whatever my Empress insists.” She teased, moving to put her shirt and coat back on.

Griffin shook her head, chuckling. “You are definitely your father’s child.” Valkyrie smiled, pausing.

“Speaking of Father… Will he be joining us for dinner tonight?”

Her mother’s face fell, eyes falling to her own hands as she started cleaning up the medical supplies. “He and a group of our soldiers went to the Ice Kingdom this morning… Queen Lilith and King Baltazar have finally started a civil war amongst their kingdom and Valtor is planning on putting an end to it.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask how he plans on doing that. Those two are quite hot-headed despite their frigid surroundings and I doubt Father’s _sparkling personality_ can coax them into behaving.”

Griffin shot her a look. “By any means.” _And that was just a fantastic thought._

_Though perhaps it was high time… It’d been decades since either Dragon (light or dark) had shown their true power to their kingdoms. They were due for a reason to shift._

“And who will reign after he fixes the problem?”

“Their eldest daughter, Icy.” Griffin admitted. “From what Faragonda and Ediltrude have said, she’s been doing her best to keep peace between her parents while simultaneously trying to keep her younger sister out of the crossfire and out of the press’s eyes.”

Valkyrie nodded, giving a bit of a smile. She and Icy didn’t speak much to one another, nor did they often get along when _they did_ speak. But Icy, despite her stubborn streak and one-mindedness, was an excellent leader and would do her kingdom proud.

“Hopefully he’ll be able to set things right.”

“He’d better. We don’t need the Hannes’ seeing this as a viable opportunity to attack us.” Griffin frowned. “And Emperor Oritel has been itching for a fight.”

“His daughter has too.” Valkyrie admitted. “If need be, I can help stave off any offenses…”

Griffin chuckled, ruffling her daughter’s hair. “That’s my job. Yours, currently, is to continue training and studying. You’ll need to be ready to take over before too long.”

Valkyrie went to fix her hair back, glancing toward her mother. “In that case, I’ll see you at dinner.”

“See you at dinner.”


End file.
